Sybil lives
by mimijag
Summary: A/U. This is a short one inspired by a promo for 4x02. Except that as it is my world, Sybil lives. I couldn't find a title so I went for this one as maybe, I'll got inspired again further in the season. Just fluff about my two favorite characters. No beta, all mistakes are mine. / UPDATE : finally deciding to switch this in series...
1. Driving a car

**Just a short one I wrote yesterday and posted on Tumblr, inspired by pics from the preview for 4x02. Except that Sybil lives. No beta, all mistakes are mine. **

Sybil was coming back from a walk with her daughter, enjoying her sunny day off, when she heard the voice of her husband coming from the front of the house. She looked towards the entrance to see the car waiting, Tom leaning at its side and calling after Mary.

She smiled. After understandable months of mourning, she was glad to see her sister finally come back to life. And she knew that her husband was a big part in the new birth of Mary, never stopping to push her to help with the estate, even when she was at her worst. He seemed to be the only one having been able to awake her. And now, their grandmother had ask Tom to teach Mary how to drive and today was their second lesson.

Sybil stopped walking and reached for her daughter, taking her in her arms.

"Look, sweetie", she said to Saoirse." It's daddy!"

-"Da!", exclaimed the little girl, clapping her hands in joy.

She then saw her husband and sister now ready to go and she just decided to wait alongside the path in order to wave at them and wish them a good lesson.

When the car, after some engine bogging and a random direction, drove past them, she took Saoirse's hand and wave it at them with a big smile.

"Good luck! We love you both!"

She didn't heard their answer but could see the frown on her husband face. Sybil just shook her head, thinking how much her husband could be so serious sometimes.

Later the same evening, after a quiet dinner, already in her night gown, she was brushing her now grown hairs, listening at her husband's rambling.

He was already in bed and he was mad at her.

Since they had come back from Mary's lesson, he was telling her endlessly how it had been dangerous to stay on the side of the path when Mary's driving was still so unreliable, that she could have change direction anytime and hit them...

Sybil loved her husband... very much. But regarding his daughter's safety, he was driving her nuts. He was too much over protective sometimes if not always. She was about to retort something but he just interrupted her with a sign of his hand, telling her all over again what he just finished to tell her. Sybil shook her head and chuckled. He was so stubborn ! But when he was like that, she knew there only was one way to shut him up so she put her brush aside and went to the bed.

Tom was still talking, his arms crossed aver his naked chest, barely realizing she had move near him. So Sybil leaned to him and did the only thing she knew would make him stop.

She kissed him.

**The end**


	2. Under the stars

**Prompt by Shana-Rosee: Tom and Sybil/ huddling for warm.**

**Under the stars**

"Here you go", said Tom, giving Sybil the blanket he was holding.

"It took you quite some time. I thought you get lost or that perhaps Papa had locked you somewhere. Saoirse couldn't wait for her daddy to come back", answered Sybil, nodding to the little girl fast asleep in her arms.

She moved forward to let Tom settle between the trunk and her, the slight movement barely being registered by the little girl who let a content breath out.

"The poor thing is exhausted. She spent all the afternoon chasing after butterflies with her cousins", smiled Tom, sliding his hand lovingly in his daughter's curls. "Too bad, she's gonna miss the show."

"You're sure it's for tonight? I looked while you were away but I couldn't see anything."

"It was in the newspaper this morning. 21th of august is considered as the best night to see shooting stars."

Sybil just snuggled even more tightly against her husband and sighed with contentment.

"You're still cold?" He asked, tightening around them the blanket he just brought.

"It's better with the extra blanket. Did you have troubles to get it?"

"As usually, had been quite the help. But, your father did try to change my mind again about this little family expedition under the stars."

"I thought he would have a fit at dinner when you suggested it", chuckled Sybil.

"Who can resent a man for wanting to spend some time alone with his family?"

"Papa apparently," sighed Sybil.

"Keep faith, Love", breathed Tom in her ear before kissing it. "In three days, we'll be on our way to America. A new whole life is waiting for us over there."

-"Yes, a new whole life all by ourselves."

Sybil smiled, happy they have taken this decision together, even if her family couldn't understand it. As Tom couldn't go back to Ireland, they needed to find a new home and America just seemed full of possibilities and hopes.

"So", said Tom after a while, tightening again his grip around his wife and daughter. "Do you know what whish you're gonna make when you'll see a shooting star?"

Sybil chuckled.

"I can't tell you! Or else, it won't happen! You?"

"Same answer, Love. We don't want to brave the fate, won't we?"

They spend the next few minutes snuggling against each others, their heads turned towards the sky full of stars. But soon, they jumped as one man, the little girl curled with them not even opening one eye.

"Here!" they said in unison.

"Did you see it too, Darling?" Asked Sybil! It was soooo beautiful!"

"Yes, I did! It was an amazing one, so bright! Now, it's time to make a wish. "

They felt silent, each lost in their thoughts to find the perfect wish to make.

"Done", said Tom first.

"Me too", said then Sybil, reaching for his hand and putting it to her belly.

A smiled formed on her lips but it was lost for her husband in the dark night.

"Do you think yours will come true?" He asked.

"Oh, yes, I'm pretty sure", she answered, already knowing for the new life growing inside her. "And yours?"

"I'm pretty sure too", he breathed against her lips before kissing her deeply and being so sure they would grow old together.

**The end**


	3. Thé dansant

**A little contribution to the Lady Sybil Lives Week. Also part of my series "Sybil lives". I hope you'll enjoyed it. Dedicated to one of our fandom's member who is one year older today : Babageneush. Alsdo, I kept the title in french because, in the show, they kept it too. x**

**THE DANSANT**

It was tea time and music was sounding loudly in the big house of Downton Abbey. Several couples were dancing in the reception room despite the early hour.

"I'm sooooo bored", whimpered Sybil, letting her forehead slumped on her husband's shoulder.

Tom chuckled.

"Well, Love. That's probably what every man wants to hear while dancing with their lovely wives."

"Don't tell me you're not bored…"

Tom shrugged.

"I don't hate dancing with you", he stated, pulling her more tightly against him. "And I'll never pass my chance to have you in my arms in public without receiving some frowns from your parents or grand-mother. Plus, I'm trying to see the bright side of things. Dinner will be quicker tonight and we'll have more time to ourselves."

"Still, I hate Rose for that. What the point of these _thé dansant_ anyway."

"Well, she rather seems to enjoy herself", said Tom looking at Rose laughing in the arms of a man not so far away from them. "Your parents too."

"It's so futile. I had to leave my shift earlier for that. How can I be taken seriously if I'm leaving my work for a dance?"

"Dr. Clarkson is there too…"

"He don't have to prove himself."

"You neither, you're a wonderful nurse."

Not convinced by her husband's sweet words, she groaned.

"Ok, I know what you need", said finally Tom, stopping to move.

He took her hand in his and pulled her behind him.

"Come with me."

"Tom! We can't leave! I don't want a lecture from Mama or Papa later."

"Believe me. They're having so much fun that they won't even realized that we're gone."

They crossed the big hall then took the stairs, Tom still pulling Sybil behind him.

"Tom! We can't do this now!" She protested with not so much force.

Tom stopped mid stairs then turned to her.

"What are you thinking, Mrs. Branson?" He laughed. "I don't take you in our room to ravish you if that's what you have in mind. Not that I don't want to", he added before leaning to her and kissing her lightly. "Come now."

They climbed the rest of the stairs and Tom led her to the nursery.

"Here we go", he said, opening the door.

Saoirse and George were sitting in a corner of the room with the nanny, having a tea party on their own.

"Daddy! Mommy!" Exclaimed the little girl seeing them.

"Hello, my Darling", said Tom all smile. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes, but George has spill all his tea on the floor."

Sensing someone was speaking about him, the eighteen months boy just laughed. Sybil reached for her daughter while Tom was sending the nanny away. She looked unsure but she stopped to try to understand a long time ago how the Bransons were working. So, she just nodded then left them alone. After all, it would give her time to have tea herself.

"So what now?" Asked Sybil, cuddling her daughter.

"Now, time for dance! You want to dance with Mommy and Daddy, Sweetie?"

Saoirse clapped her hands with excitement followed by George even if he didn't understand what was going on.

"Then a round dance it is. Ladies and gentlemen take your hands, please."

Sybil laughed and put her daughter on the floor. She took her hand in hers while Tom reached for George and did the same with him.

"And now, let's go!" Exclaimed Tom.

The little group started to turn and soon, the room was filled with laughs and cries of happiness.

-

Matthew and Marry entered the hall after their walk in the park. Marry was expecting again and had needed some fresh air after a dance. She frowned when she saw the nanny stepping down the stairs.

"Who's with the children?" She asked the young woman.

"Mr. and Mrs. Branson."

Marry nodded and let the woman leave.

"I'm wondering what these two are up to again?" She said to Matthew with a raised eyebrow.

Matthew shook his head and smiled.

"Let's just take a look."

They took the stairs and, the more they were nearing the first floor, the more they were hearing laughs. When they reached the nursery, the sight they met made them stopped in their tracks. Here, in the middle of the nursery, a light music coming from downstairs, were two grown up and two children laughing and turning madly around.

"What's going on in there?" Asked finally Marry.

Sybil looked up and smiled brightly at her sister and brother in law. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were glowing from happiness.

"Hey you two! We have our own _"thé dansant"_! Come and join us!"

Marry and Matthew didn't have the time to answer at the invitation. Tom had already headed the round towards the couple and they soon found themselves onboard their madness.

A short time later, when the nanny came back, she just found them still spinning and laughing. And she just shook her head. This family really wasn't quite what she heard it was before coming here to work. She smiled despite herself and turned away. She rather be sure that Carson won't come upstairs before the end of the party in the nursery. Because she was sure of one thing : he wouldn't agree with such a display !

**The end**


End file.
